March on or March off ; Imran Khan’s Political test

August 2, 2014

Everywhere we hear today that PTI is going to do a long march against the government on August 14th in Islamabad. It’s in TV. It’s in drawing room gossips. It’s in print and it’s in blogs. It’s being evaluated everywhere. Though I doubt nothing much would happen since Imran Khan is known for his U-turns and this might be seeing another one very soon as I feel that he in between a rock and a hard place right now. I am sure he has been lured into this and though he might to wriggle out of which ; the only option he has is to move forward or get beaten by his own stick .

Now ironically, PMLN who is trying ever bit to survive due to the timidness our current Prime Minister and has played the dangerous card of invoking Article 245 of the constitution and inviting Pakistan Army into their political fight with PTI or others has in my opinion done yet another step of playing with fire. As per my sources and a little bit of understanding of Pakistani politics . Some in PMLN has advised that due to their doubts on the role of certain agencies against their government. Put Pakistan Army in the foray so that if there is any maneuvering it gets exposed. What they don’t understand is that during this time where the nation is right into a middle of the war ? This political move can back fire.

However, there is another school of thought that states knowing that they can’t handle law and order situation of the country due to the complexity or their incompetency . PMLN government has decided to involve Pakistan Army in handling the same whilst they focus on policy issues like foreign , fiscal or otherwise. This way they can survive for 5 years in their opinion.
For me, it was critical that after 5 years of PPP government where the investors shied away from investing in Pakistan. We should see some political stability which would invariably see some fiscal discipline and would improve our economic parameters. However, with the start of the operation Zarb e Azb against Taliban’s in the North Waziristan and hopefully in the rest of the country. We had to ensure financial stability to keep the wheel of operation churning and the rest of the country rebuilding as we salvage and let’s not forget the billions which would be needed by the affectees of the conflict . All for which money is required. Now we can either depend on aid or we can hope to bring in investment to support the same. It’s a simple choice for me and the answer is later.

Keeping the above in view what is confusing me the most is that why would Imran try to derail the government at this critical juncture? The answer lies in either the fact that he is selfish and for him being in power is the only answer at any cost or the answer lies in the fact that he wants to reduce the focus of our armed forces by enticing the government to use support of Pakistan Army to reduce pressure in North Waziristan and elsewhere in the country as the Army gets distracted by the political turmoil in the country. There is a third obvious option that he may be pushing the Supreme Court to invoke other provisions in the constitution as per their jurisdiction like Article 256 to get the government dissolved at the center or at least in KPK as either he has failed over there or feels that he has gotten stuck in KPK and his party’s poor performance there would only diminish his chances in the center. Either ways he is playing a dangerous game at the cost of the democratic stability of the country in my view. What I fail to understand is that though elections are after another 4 years or less? What’s the rush to resolve all electoral reforms now. Like I mentioned earlier in one of my blogs that he either knows something we all don’t know or he is just being another pawn to get PMLN disqualified or rationalized in the center under guise of charges of rigging.

The funnier part is that when the elections took place. The care taker government was appointed by the then government of PPP who are joining the bandwagon of PTI’s demand though they must be equally responsible. Now interestingly where Prime Minister was having one after another meeting in Saudi Arabia . Gen Raheel Shareef was bravely visiting our forces in NWA and mingling the IDP’s and former President Zardari has been accorded a state visit status whilst in US. The political brinkman ship happens at a time when the nation needs stability.

Then again what do you expect . These are politicians. They have no monetary stake in the country as their investments are abroad. Their families inclusive of all that is PTI, PMLN and PPP are abroad and if in Pakistan are guarded by a legion. Their only agenda is to live up to their ego and get into power. But one interesting thing to see that the upcoming March and if it happens has polarized all parties who are seeing fissures on the issues and some how you feel that every party is in the favor of the March (of course not PMLN) and against it. Maybe no one can judge the actual situation on the ground. Hearing news that those politicians in PTI’s ranks and folds who are inclined towards Pakistan Army are willing to take the confrontation to a point where it doesn’t collide with the Army. Means they might back out , keep quiet and even quit. They know that their leader’s immature politics might result in a Civilian Martial Law in the country. Well I suppose if they pull back it would be a wise choice. Since we do not want our army which is already stretched getting further embroiled in the domestic political drama.

So let’s see if Imran Khan and his party Marches on to Islamabad to bring it down or Marches off the D square with a promise to come again another day. I feel the possibility of the later since they also know their limits and their supporters who if are patriots would side Pakistan right now not with the ambition of someone to become the Prime Minister of the country before he turns 67 or 68. I am sure the people of Pakistan would choose wisely when it comes to it.

I feel we need to back our Army to concentrate to conduct operation in KPK and in other parts of the country to get rid of Taliban menace and all our policies, actions or moves should be in only one direction to eliminate the core enemy first. If a party or an individual has an idea otherwise; then in my opinion they should be charged under Article 6 for trying to aid the enemies of Pakistan. Irrespective of who they might be . If they try to do the same by Talibanizing the country and destabilizing the efforts of our army by playing the game of diversion and division than in my opinion their only place is on the noose or in the jail and nowhere else. Pakistan Zindabad!